Apartment

The Caboose

Photo gallery for The Caboose

A narrow hallway leading to a room with a bed, a window, and a door with a sign indicating air release.
A forested area with a single orange train car on a track, surrounded by tall trees and a gravel path.
A wooden bench in a wooded area with a lake in the background.
A picnic area with a grill, table, and benches surrounded by trees.
A room with a dining table, chairs, a bench, a door with a handle, a window with curtains, and a wall-mounted shelf.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • Made for relaxation
    Top-rated for comfort — guests feel right at home here.
  • Centrally-located
    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.
  • Discover nearby landmarks
    Close to Little Glen Lake
1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 2

Popular amenities

  • Barbecue grill
  • Air-conditioning
  • Refrigerator
  • Internet
  • Onsite parking available
  • Non-smoking

Explore the area

View in a map
Empire, MI
  • Place, Little Glen Lake
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, Glen Lake
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Place, Crystal River
    ‪7 min drive‬
  • Airport, Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital)
    ‪48 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 2)

Bedroom 1

1 Double Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Kitchen

About this property

The Caboose

Summary:

Historic, updated caboose with a fire pit, central air conditioning and heating, and grill. With public access to Little Glen Lake nearby, this unique and historic abode offers all the conveniences of home. Inside, the space includes a convenient queen bed, bathroom with shower, a sitting area, and a well-equipped kitchenette that features a fridge, microwave, toaster, Keurig, and an electric percolator.



The Space:

With public access to Little Glen Lake nearby, this unique and historic abode offers all the conveniences of home with all the adventure of vacation. Surrounded by trees, the renovated caboose features a picnic area, grill, firepit, and beautiful nature views. Inside, the space includes a convenient Murphy bed, a sitting area, and a well-equipped kitchenette that features a fridge, microwave, toaster, Keurig, and an electric percolator. Access to the Sleeping Bear Dunes is just steps away from the Caboose!



Guest Access:

A key will be provided



The Neighborhood:

Forest/ Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore



Getting Around:

Driving or walking to the beach or to hike the trails and dunes.



Interaction with Guests:

We are available if guests need any assistance, but we prefer to give everyone their privacy.

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Adults only
Ladders could be dangerous
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
No smoking, pets, or fireworks in the Caboose or anywhere on the premises. Grill tools are in the kitchen drawer. If you need a new propane tank c...

Important information

You need to know

Property # 3612621vb
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher

About the area

Empire

Located in Empire, this apartment is in a rural area. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Lake Michigan.
View more Apartments in EmpireOpens in a new window
Map
Empire, MI

What's nearby

  • Little Glen Lake - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - 3 min drive - 2.9 km
  • Glen Lake - 6 min drive - 6.9 km
  • Crystal River - 7 min drive - 9.1 km
  • Sleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station Maritime Museum - 8 min drive - 6.6 km

Getting around

  • Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital) - 48 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Cherry Republic - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Art's Tavern - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Boonedocks - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪River Club Glen Arbor - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Leelanau Coffee Roasting Co. - ‬6 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is The Caboose pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at The Caboose?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at The Caboose?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at The Caboose?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is The Caboose located?

Situated in a rural location, this apartment building is 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from Little Glen Lake and within 3 miles (5 km) of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Sleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station Maritime Museum is 2.6 mi (4.2 km) away.

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 26 out of 30 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 30 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 30 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 30 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 30 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Staying in the caboose was a wonderful, unique experience! We really enjoyed the attention to details they used when restoring. It was perfect for two people.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We love this place! Beautiful property close to everything!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The caboose is such a fun, unique experience. It was very clean, spacious, and the upper seating was perfect for reading. We arrive after dark and found it difficult to find, however the host communicated with us extremely quickly on a Saturday night. Highly recommend.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Cozy little caboose, walking distance from the dunes and a great launch pad to the surrounding scenic areas.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Fantastic location for hiking through Sleeping Bear Dunes! We love the Caboose itself and the history behind it. It’s always great staying here.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
What a fun stay! The place was exactly as described. Being in the woods and right off of the Heritage Trail was really awesome.It was a bit hard to find in the dark, since there are a few other stays in the immediate area, and getting our truck into the tight turn to park was a challenge, but nothing that diminished our time there at all. Just something to be aware of.Since it got a bit chilly at night, the heating unit had a hard time keeping up. It was toasty in the upper-level seating area but chilly on the main level. We tried to turn up the heat and aim the fan to blow the hot air down, but it could only do so much. Again, nothing that ruined the stay, but be sure to bring warm pajamas.We were here for the Sleeping Bear Marathon, so our legs were far too tired to get to the Dune Climb… meaning we’ll be back to stay at the Caboose again! Thanks for a great time!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great as always! Perfect for glamping to hike Sleeping Bear Dunes NP.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Empire Get Away

Unique and cozy stay, just what we were looking for.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect location. Bike trail and Dune Climb walking distance. Just 10 minute drive to both the town of Glen Arbor and also the scenic Sleeping Bear Dunes drive. Bonfires at night, visits from deer & wild turkeys. What a unique place to stay. We enjoyed the Caboose !!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

We LOVED the caboose!

What an awesome experience, staying in an authentic, restored train caboose on our vacation! Very clean, all amenities we might need were there, nice shower, cool air, fluffy towels even! Perfect location. Highly recommend!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 18 Jul, 2024
Hi Kris, We are so glad that you loved the Caboose as much as we do! It truly is a special place!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location

Location was perfect for what we wanted to do and where we wanted to go. Also, was in between Empire and Glen Arbor. Close to the dune climb and pierce stocking scenic drive.The historical caboose looked really cool in the woods.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay

This was a perfect stay for my wife and I. The first day we walked down to the Dune Climb from The Caboose. Easy walk on the rail trail from there. The rest of the weekend we visited Glen Arbor, Suttons Bay, Leland, and all points in-between. It was nice after to get back to The Caboose, have a fire and enjoy the night. We would stay here again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 12 Aug, 2024
Hi Rob - so glad you enjoyed the Caboose! It truly is a special spot and we would love to have you back again some day!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

DTI 107

We had a lovely time staying in the caboose. Very nostalgic and perfect for the train enthusiasts! Right in the middle of nature and abutting to the national park. Beautiful!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful getaway

The caboose was very well laid out and clean, with many modern amenities at our disposal. The location is superb: back from the road and fairly secluded, but very close to Glen Arbor and right next to the dune climb. It was so much fun to enjoy morning coffee in the cupola of the caboose!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Romantic Getaway

My wife and I had the privilege of staying here for a weekend to celebrate our anniversary. If you are looking for somewhere quaint, beautiful, secluded and surrounded by nature, this is the place. The Dunes are within walking distance. Downtown Empire and downtown Glen Arbor are both only a ten minutes' drive; while these towns are both small, there's no shortage of good food and wine.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Was a very pleasant stay. Thought the add reflected what you got. Internet connection wasn’t the best for our phones.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing!

What a gift it was to stay here...thank you! Can't imagine the logistics & process it took to get a caboose stationed on this lovely property, refurbished & functioning as rentable accommodations. Loved the historic memorabilia found within. It was clean, well-stocked with accoutrements & soft linens. Perfect for 2 people for a few nights in beautiful northern.MI.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quite, Clean and Private

We enjoyed a fabulous time in the caboose. It’s very clean and a well organized space. All appliances work as they should and we had no issues what so ever. Great communication with our hosts. Highly recommended!!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cute, cozy and wonderful tucked in the woods!

This is a fantastic cozy stay! The owners have kept most of the caboose in its original state. The location is perfect for a dune climb. I have family in Glen Arbor and it was an easy drive to their place. I would definitely recommend this to anyone. The owners are very accommodating and friendly as well. Thank you very much
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Enchanting Caboose in the Woods

We loved our weekend in the Caboose. This beautifully refitted and comfortable railcar had everything one needs. Close to the beach and hikes. Privacy. Peace and quiet. And the magic of staying in a slice of railroad history. Excellent hosts, easy communication. Everything was perfect.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Hansel and Gretel meets Polar Express

Very unique cozy cottage in the woods. The cottage aka Train Caboose is situated in a perfect spot in the woods at the foot of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Shoreline adjacent to the 20 mile Sleeping Bear Heritage bike trail. The cottage is very clean, has everything you need. A great place to read a book are the upper deck seats of the caboose. The hosts had great communication and ensured we had everything we need.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location, listing accuracy
Very cute and unique experience. The set-up was so fun and we had a wonderful time.Could just be the time of the year but the bugs were very rampant but thankfully went away when the lights were turned off. Had a bit of an unpleasant smell we figured it was from whatever is used to prevent rust.The sound of the summer rain was soothing, a perfect way to spend a weekend celebrating my partners birthday. Highly recommended.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing getaway

Stayed here for a solo birthday trip to explore sleeping bear dunes and the surrounding areas. Brooke and Robin were amazing hosts, great communication. The Caboose was so charming, well equipped with anything I may have needed. Waking up and having breakfast and coffee here was a great start to the day before going sightseeing. Returning after a long day and relaxing was peaceful. The location is second to none, minutes walk from the dune climb or Glen lake access. Within a 40 minute drive of all the key spots to see in that area, which seems endless. Who wouldn't want to stay in a train caboose? It was amazing!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful and Unique with the ideal location

This caboose is right where you want to be if you have come to this area to enjoy the outdoors. A few miles from Empire, Glen Arbor and Glen Haven and walking distance to the Dunes hike. My partner and I had the most amazing time here and the caboose is super cool and well appointed. The grill is really nice and there is a nice kitchen set-up so we were able to prepare some pretty great meals and didn't feel cramped. I can't express enough how good of a location this is. Immediately off the bike path, sandwiched in between everything, it's just awesome. There are two houses on the sides of you, but some woods in-between to give you decent privacy. It made it really easy to enjoy the stars on the dunes too since it was either a very short drive or a short walk to the dune hike.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a great time staying in the Caboose and learning about the history of 107. The location is perfect. You can almost literally reach out from the Caboose and touch the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Lots of scenic hiking trails, beach access, and kayaking nearby. The Caboose was clean and included all of the amenities we needed and we even enjoyed a nice fire one evening. We did not use the grill but it looked very clean and in great condition. Communication prior to arrival was excellent and the check in process was easy.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2026

About the host

Hosted by Robin Vilter

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Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
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